Fire Emblem: Glittering Darkness
by XNohrius
Summary: A mishap with a knife sends someone into the world of Tellius to shift the balance for the good guys. One problem? He can't really fight, and didn't come magically equipped with weapons or training. Other problem? He believes absolutely that he isn't up to the task. [T for normal T rating things. Pairings are undecided, if they are happening at all]
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I did this. Why? I dunno. It's here now I guess. Deal with it. Pairings are undecided (if they will be a thing at all) as this ain't dem new games, this is Tellius.

-o-

I have to say, I thought I'd be pushing up daisies by now - not tasting them. Rolling over and unceremoniously spitting out the flowers in my mouth, I was met by an open sky with only a few wispy streaks of clouds dotting the blue expanse. The problem was... I'm supposed to be dead. My hand drifted slowly towards my chest, slipping under the fabric of my shirt and stopping when it reached the bump I was looking for.

Fingers trailed down a patch of uneven skin around my heart, the scarred flesh about an inch and a half up and down. Clear memory of my own hand pushing the knife into the same spot which seemed to be healed surfaced and my addled mind attempted to process it. The air was fresh but tasted sour as I lay unmoving, watching the wind rustle the grass and push the fluffy clouds along. I had no idea why I was still here and wasn't eager to find out soon.

"Was that truly the end you wish for?" A ghostly statement rang out, inquiry clear in the feminine voice. "A life so abruptly cut short as reparation for a misdeed."

"I received what I deserved for my actions. To take the life of another is unforgivable. It matters not in regards to my intentions or position." I automatically mumbled back, glancing around to see nothing but nature.

"An accident can only garner so much blame."

"I should have been more careful." I clipped bitterly. "I got carried away and paid the price for it."

"Atonement is paid off slowly through death and more heartfelt through action."

"Then what do you propose I do? Spring back out of my coffin and apologize?"

"No." It/She replied. "Though I will admit it would be humorous to do that. Instead, I offer you a choice."

"A... choice?"

"Yes." The voice affirmed. "I can relinquish you to the murky depths of death or you can redeem yourself by helping to save another world."

My voice gained a spark of hope, faint but nonetheless present - "I believe I'll take the second option. Am I to know anything about this place?"

"Good." A twinge of relief was evident in her voice. "Welcome to Tellius, then."

Tellius... that sounds familiar. That's with Crimea and Ike in...

"Fire Emblem." Came the words.

"What can I do there?" I vacillated. "I've no real combat experience."

"Talent with physical weaponry is far from the only combat type in such a place if you can recall."

"Magic...?" I muttered but received no reply. It seems I was alone yet again. My breath steadied and my hand combed through my messy hair, locks falling slightly on my face and startling me slightly. "Why's my hair purple?"

I shook my head. Not that hair color matters anyway. Perhaps I would luck out and the forest to my right would be the one Elincia was in. It didn't seem so, what with no Daein troops or Princess Oranges hiding in the foliage.

"Who's there?" A new voice called sharply, emanating from my right. I paused a moment to consider my options, and by then it was too late. A dark glob of stuff came hurling out of the bushes and landed at my feet, dissipating in a hiss and causing me to squeak out a... questionably manly scream.

A hunched figure appeared from my left, what I assumed to be magic in his hand as his gaze settled on me. The mage a countenance that screamed 'I'm angry all the time' and facial features that resembled a raisin. Thin white locks fell from the back of his head and his jaw jutted out sharply, while his black beady eyes were trained sharply on me. "Well?" He spat, magic clump growing bigger. "Answer my question, boy."

"U-uhm... well I..." My words tumbled out, nervousness clear in the tone. "I don't actually know."

The man glared at me incredulously. "You don't know." He repeated.

"Er, yes. No. Yes? Wait, I know WHO I am, I just got a bit nervous-"

A growl from his throat silenced me. "Stop wasting my time. Who are you, why are you here, and how did you get here?" He demanded.

"Albrecht," I replied quietly. "I don't know the answer to the other two."

His glare grew in intensity as we fell silent. He waved away the magic in his hand an turned around. "I'll give you one hour to leave and never return. Don't abuse my generosity."

With that, the man turned away and began walking at a brisk pace as I stood dumbfounded for a split second. "Hey!" I began. "W-wait a minute!"

My next words died in my throat as he turned around and gathered a lump of magic yet again. "Go on." He said calmly.

I gathered a breath and hopefully stopped shaking when I opened my mouth again: "I meant it when I have no idea where am I. At all... I don't know what country or even landmass I'm on." Well, technically I know this is Tellius but... blah.

"You truly claim not to know where you are or who I am?"

"Y-yes sir."

The pause was long and awkward as I tried not to melt under the look he was giving me. "Well, Albrecht." His voice said slowly. "My name is Malcolm. This is my property. And I'm the most feared person this side of Daein aside from his majesty."

"Okay... erm, why exactly?"

Malcolm's eye twitched at the question before he cast the spell again, holding a defined sphere of black energy. "I am a dark mage. And not known to treat uninvited guests well."

"Oh! Are you a spirit charmer then?" The words fell out of my mouth before I realized what I had asked.

A flicker of anger passed on Malcolm's face before it took an appearance of neutrality. "No. To think that I require an outsider's help is an affront to me and the entire practice of dark magic."

"Then, many people fear you for it?"

"Sharp, aren't you?" He said dryly. "Yes. I'm more of a legend than an actual person to them, so how lucky that you get to meet me."

"Are you able to do Anima and Light as well?"

"You know, you're asking a lot of questions for being the one trespassing." He noted, seeing my face fall. "Don't give me that look boy. Of course I can! Both are easier arts that Dark, I can affirm that much."

I was silent for a moment, absorbing the information, before realizing I'd been sitting on the ground the whole time. My legs hoisted me up and I brushed off my pants from the dirt and grass blades that lingered on them. If I needed to help Ike in this world I need to learn how to fight... maybe...

"I can see a question forming on your face." Malcolm drawled. "I find it humorous that you seem so timid when speaking yet not when I threaten you with Yotsmungand or Flux."

I was caught off guard for a moment, recognizing both the spell names. One was the 'staple' for basic dark, and the other only appeared in Thracia. "What's the difference?"

The mage sighed. "I swear, noone knows the difference nowadays. Always call it 'subtle' but it is clear as day to anyone who- bah, what am I saying? You wouldn't understand either. Out with it now, what do you want boy?"

"I have nowhere else to go. I'm unfamiliar with where am I. And I require a way to protect myself so... would you instruct me in dark magic?"

Malcolm stared at me, rubbed his eyes, blinked a few times, then took in a breath. "What?"

"Would y-you-"

"No." He snapped. "What did you expect? I don't know you... and you apparently don't even know yourself that well."

"What am I supposed to do then?"

The man sighed and gently massaged his temple. "Leave and go find a swords trainer or something. Magic, especially of this nature, is not a toy."

"I know that!" My voice cried out, volume rising. "I can't fight with weapons, I'm not strong. I want to be able to help!"

"Anima magic then." He said shortly, turning away.

"I'll do whatever you ask!"

"That's great. Get off my land then."

"I'm serious! Whatever it takes..."

Malcolm huffed before facing me once more. "Why do you wish to learn Dark Magic so badly?"

I set my face into an 'as determined as I can be' expression. "I heard it was the magic more intertwined with knowledge and skill, that those who study hard are rewarded."

"Hm." Came the reply. "You're not wrong, as just that is more than most of the common masses know. Come along then, and keep up. You'll start immediately..."

-o-

A wooden bucket with water and a rag attached to the side was set down next to me as I started at the medieval equivalent to a sink. We had reached Malcolm's cottage after half an hour of walking and I was now assigned to my first task... washing dishes. It wouldn't be so bad if the whole home didn't smell like dust and the plates to be made of jagged ceramic that irritated my skin. 'Work for your stay. Then you can learn' is what he said to me, giving me the bucket before sauntering off outside. The sink was made of some sort of hardwood and was embedded with a handle, making it a water pump with a basic. A wooden rack where I assumed the plates and... two cups went hung over the basin's side by hooks. Malcolm expected this to be done by sundown... and said celestial body was infuriatingly speeding across the sky, about an hour's worth of distance afternoon. My stomach growled and I suppressed my hunger in favor of concentration.

Scrubbing grime off plates was a bit harder with no soap or sponges, and I constantly had to go outside and 'beat off' the gunk from the rag, even with the water to soak it in. I barely made the correct time as Malcolm strolled in the door to see me finishing up. His expression was unreadable as he examined my work. "Hmph. Acceptable enough I suppose." He then grasped for a broom tucked up against the wall and tossed it to me. "Sweep the front room. After that, you'll get dinner."

I sighed inwardly as I took the new task with as minimal outward complaint as I could muster. The front room was the biggest in the cabin and consisted of furniture and various knick-knacks I'd have to move to dust. I can certainly say this wasn't what I was expecting when I came to Tellius, and not at all what I was expecting when I... my rhythmic motion stopped for a moment as I recalled the circumstances that brought me here.

 _"Useless trash."_

My grip tightened. My situation wasn't exactly uncommon either and I had to go and die while others suffered. A splosh on the floor caused me to set a growing wet spot, and afterwards to wipe my face with my free arm to brush away the other tears.

I just hope I'll be of use here.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been about a week now since I had arrived at Malcolm's cottage, and during that entire time... I've been doing chores and not learning a scrap about magic. Not that I can really complain. I did kinda show up unexpectedly, barraged the man with questions, and nigh demanded that he teach me something he didn't want to. ...Not that I had a way of enforcing said demands besides the whole 'I'm technically an orphan and alone' spiel. My menial tasks included the most frequent (for some reason, considering we didn't eat much) dishwashing, sweeping, beating down the rug (rugs don't like getting swept), and making meals. All of which came with coffee, which I hated back on Earth but here it is a godsend. Bitter but helps me through the arduous day - which is sad considering Malcolm was probably doing all of this before I was, and by himself. I should work on my stamina one of these days.

The cottage could almost be called a summer house back on Earth. It was large - with a main central room with chairs and a firepit, a full kitchen, and a small library that doubled as a bedroom. Not that I've been in the last one, as Malcolm made it crystal clear I wasn't to go in there unless I wanted a Yotsmungand bolt up my rear. I slept in in one of two large fur chairs he kept in the front, next to the usually unlit fireplace.

I had finished my chores for today, a lenient list due to it being the Daein equivalent of Sunday. We didn't really pray, as despite Malcolm 'believing' in Ashera, he didn't really praise her. I tucked that piece of info away for when I asked to see his light magic, which literally stems from being devoted to the goddess. ...I also get sidetracked easy. And I also use the word also an awful lot. I was reclining in the aforementioned chair, waiting for Malcolm to get back so I could get dinner started. If my cooking was meh before, it had to be at least passable now. Cooking fish and wild game wasn't exactly hard either considering both of us would eat ranging from rare to well done. Most of our dishes were complimented with herbs (which had the repugnant odor of old boots) and some sort of bread that had the taste and consistency of concrete. I honestly had no idea where he gets all this from, considering he doesn't look like an avid farmer or hunter.

I digress. A few minutes had passed of my aching muscles soothing themselves in a blob position when the front door was flung open and shut with the same force. Spotting the familiar 'I'm pissed' face of Malcolm, I offered a weak wave. He snorted and shook his hand, laying his walking staff near the doorway and taking off the fur gloves that always adorned his hands whenever he went out. I automatically began to get up and stretch in preparation to prepare a meal, but he waved me off.

"Since you've been tolerable and actually listened to what I've told you to do, I think we can begin the lessons." He stated factually. "Change out of your..." he paused and glanced at my ragged sweatshirt and torn jeans "...clothes into this." A set of robes was then passed my way. "Meet me in my study. Any questions?"

'Why do I have to wear this?' formed in my throat, but I cut myself off.

 ** _"Don't ask unnecessary questions, brat."_**

I quickly blinked away the tears and simply shook my head. Malcolm's gaze lingered on me for but a moment before he hobbled down the hall, leaving me in privacy. I slipped out of my clothes quickly, noticing my body taking on a more defined appearance. Definitely nowhere near 'muscled' but it was better than the near anorexia I had arrived with. The new outfit was breezy and comfortable, if not a bit impractical for an actual battle. The scar on my chest was still prominent, though Malcolm had yet to see it. The freeness of the outfit meant my forearms could actually see the sunlight for once, as they too were crisscrossed in a myriad of angry red scars running in all directions. The floorboards creaked under my step as my breathing quickened. Never having been down here before did spark curiosity and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit excited.

The door was closed, the light of a lantern on the other side spilling out from beneath the seal. The handle on this door was freezing and metallic, as opposed to the hinge operated front entrance. I twisted slightly and heard a click before pushing my way reluctantly into the study. Seated at his desk, a tower of books nearly obscuring him, was Malcolm. He seemed to have changed too, though his outfit was a bit more snug than mine. He rose as I came in and gave me a glance over, nodded slightly. "I have to say..." He began. "Out of my few pupils, none took this as seriously as you."

"I don't want to fail." Came my reply, quiet and meek.

"Do you know why I took you in?" A question rang out, stopping my thoughts. I... didn't actually know. I thought it was because he saw some sort of potential, but that wouldn't explain a mood shift as sudden as his.

"Let me answer for you." Malcolm began slowly. "One was, of course, your potential. Though all could become a mage... you had a reservoir of energy waiting to be tapped into."

I nodded to this, as it is what I assumed originally. That wasn't it, of course. "And the other?" I spoke gently.

"I can see injuries of the mind, and that led to me seeing those of the body. You were truly desolate - not just a naive child who wanted to play with power."

My pulse quickened in response as I simply pointed to my chest.

"Yes, child. I've no idea how you survived that or why you did it in the first place, but if training you for whatever goal you have in mind will dissuade that, then I do what I must. I'd not have more people go through the experience of losing a friend that way."

The voice that came out of me took a bitter edge. "I don't have any. Or family, for that matter."

"...My condolences." Came the quiet reply, inducing me to sigh.

"May we - er, I - learn the lesson?"

A book was tossed to me in response, and I fumbled in a successful attempt to not drop it. Surprisingly, the front cover was legible. It wasn't English - I somehow knew that, but I could read it easily nonetheless. It simply read "Basic of Magic - Anima and the Dark Arts".

"As you can probably tell." Malcolm started neutrally. "We'll be ignoring Anima for now unless you had a vested interest in that. To even begin to fabricate an idea to use Dark Magic - you must first understand it. Not a basic grip of physics or composition either. It must be true mastery of the intricacies of the magic. As you had so keenly said before..." he paused, tapping his finger to his chin, "Dark Magic is more about knowledge over energy or faith. What most know, is that confidence plays a pivotal role as well, nearly as important if not more than knowledge. If you know the spell and know you can cast the spell, then the power shall come. Fail at either step, and the magic will either dissipate if you're lucky or backfire and harm the caster."

I nodded slightly and uttered an 'mhm', before turning my attention back to the book. I flipped it opened and thumbed through the pages until I reached the chapter titled: "So, thou wish to be a Sorcerer?"

I was gestured over to a chair and instructed to read the first three chapters before he demonstrated something to me. A flicker of a smile ghosted across my face as memories of school drifted past, quickly subdued as I shook my head and continued my work. The book mostly went more in-depth on Malcolm's explanation and started to explain the principles of the Flux spell: 'Flux is a manifestation of base negative energy. While most assume this fact pegs the spell as evil, nothing is farther from the truth. As will all Dark Magic, it is not inherently evil - just as light is not inherently good. Negative energy is simply the anti-energy power source that lies opposite of the power sources of both Light and Anima. Garnering it takes much more concentration and effort, though it is quite often rewarded in the form of a more devastating spell.'

Time had seemingly slipped away, for when I had finally finished the material, Malcolm was eyeing me humorously. "Hungry?" He asked, and my stomach rumbled before I could speak. "I'd assume you'd be, a good two hours of reading will do that to you. Before we eat, you get to see a demonstration first. How lucky." He then waved and walked briskly out of the room, leaving me to tag along uncertainly. Our route led us outside where Malcolm effortlessly conjured a ball of darkness in his hand, encompassing his palm in size.

"This." The mage began. "Is a manifestation of Flux. It is slow, volatile, and prone to backfiring." His mouth slipped into a smile. "However... it is also more useful than any Anima spell you could cast." A flick of his wrist sent the projectile into a tree, which immediately fractured at the point of contact and warped some of the bark and wood into black goo, which evaporated quickly. Malcolm clapped me hardily on the back and turned to the cottage. "You'll be trying to summon even a wisp of it after dinner."

My mouth went slightly dry as I offered a question: "What about that whole backfiring thing?"


	3. Chapter 3

UPDATE: Very slight changes to parts of the chapter, but a clarifying sentence added during the learning process part.

A/N: I'd like to take a moment and thank all who followed, favorited, and/or reviewed. Specifically - Thanks to DestructoKat and ZeXal2828 for your kind words, I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far! Another thanks to ZeXal for following, and to pichufan101 for favoriting. Though this may not seem like much, people showing that they enjoy the story and are involved is part of what gives me the motivation to continue it. I'm always welcome to reviews, criticism thoroughly accepted as well. If you wish to not be mentioned in future A/N notes, let me know - either through private messaging or just leaving it as a side note in your review.

We're getting close to the end of 'Albrecht, who's name you've heard once is staying at a cottage with an old man'. This doesn't mean we'll be jumping right into cannon, but it is close.

-o-

A silent and tense atmosphere pervaded dinner. My nerves had my hands shaking irregularly, and as such, I prepared a simple meal with as little hands-on work necessary. A fillet of what I assumed to be salmon and bread made from barley. Not a feast, but serviceable as food. As before, I questioned not where the supplies had come from and how they got in the cabinets in the first place. Why be the one to look a gift horse in the mouth? My dry mouth hardly tasted anything, roughly swallowing the bland meal with no complaint... I've had much worse than overcooked fish and stale bread. The meal finished quickly, I set out to take care of the plates and thoroughly wash them. My deliberate delay was obvious, as I'm sure Malcolm knew, though he was silent about it. As I finished the dishes, a nervous turn brought me to face him waiting by the door, which prompted a nod from him as the squeaky sound of the door hinge confirmed we'd be going outside again.

Stopping a bit short of the range where Malcolm had hit the tree not two hours ago, I fell into the rhythm of nervously wringing my hands together. The feeling of coarse skin still served as a reminder of my new introduction to hard physical labor. Having done little such work before I came here, callouses were frequent and painful. The pain, while annoying, was rather subdued. My twitchy movements were halted by Malcolm and his steel grip, and he let a smile creep onto his face. "You did study Flux, no?" came his calm voice.

"W-well yes-"

"And you remember all of it?"

"Of course, sir." Came the automatic reply.

The mage nodded. "Then you should have no problem. Chin up and use your knowledge. Flux is the gateway spell - easy to cast and hard to master."

I mimicked his nod and took a deep breath before pausing. "Do I just... attempt to gather negative energy then?"

"Indeed." Malcolm quipped. "Reach out and call the energy to you, feel it congealing. Hold it together."

Right arm fully extended, I turned my palm upwards and tightly shut my eyes. As the lessons were sure to stress, Dark Magic required much more concentration in exchange for almost never needing incantations. Something which I should have plenty of, being in a near dead silent forest. I concentrated on everything I've learned so far - what Flux is, how it works, the truth of negative energy. A tugging sensation, soft but growing firmer with every second, nearly knocked me out of my near reverie state. I held onto to it, refusing to let go as sweat began to bead and roll down my face. My breathing quickened as a massive invisible weight pressed itself unto my chest, making it progressively harder to breathe. Eyes fluttering open, I spotted a shallow mass of dark energy. The size, being generous, was about a twelfth of the size Malcolm had summoned in a second with ease. My pride wavered, and with it, the spell in my hand fluctuated.

"Concentrate on you," Malcolm called to me. "Worry not about my capabilities."

I pushed back against the crushing force as I commanded the energy to fly forwards. To my near surprise, it obeyed. Flying straight and slowly at first, it became more erratic as more distance passed, gaining speed but twisting in turning in the air. Out of luck, it happened to hit a tree... displacing only the surface layer of bark on it. I sighed in disappointment and sat down, wiping the sweat from my forehead.

I felt a reassuring pat on my shoulder as Malcolm looked on with a thoughtful expression. "You had all the bases right. The problem was that you doubted yourself. If even for a moment, at any point during the casting, doubt can seep into your spell and ruin it."

I shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not sure how confident I can get," I said slowly, keeping my voice even. "I mean, I know that I know the spell but..."

"Hmph. I'll admit that even with this, you fared far better than I expected. Being able to make your spell even that powerful... well it is impressive, to say the least." Malcolm noted. "I suppose you need more work on your attitude than the spell... but that doesn't mean you get to slack off on your studies."

"Of course," I reassured him. "I shan't stray from all you've done for me."

Malcolm rolled his eyes "Yeah yeah. Let's get back to the cottage, sundown is almost upon us."

-o-

Contrary to what I expected... it took another two weeks of constant practice and encouragement before I was able to actually make Flux stay on target. Which, in all honesty, was FASTER than most. The energy gathered in correlation to the effort was becoming more 'cost-efficient', but I was nowhere near Malcolm's level - which is to be expected. I idly wondered at what point in the timeline I had emerged in, as Daein was not at war and Ashnard WAS on the throne. It was a ticking bomb at this point, and at the pace, my studies are going I wouldn't be ready for combat for a year. Way faster than many others, but still way too slow for what I needed. With the whole 'confidence' thing, I did actually try to pick up Anima magic with... mixed results. Wind was my best element, though 'best' in that meaning is a little muddled. I could summon a breeze that would get annoying, but nothing close to razor sharp air particles or Blizzard. Malcolm noted that all types of magic, even the subtypes within the Anima triangle, have a different 'affinity' for a person. While everyone could theoretically cast all types of magic, the potential to do some is random. ...Like the stupid midicholorians from Star Wars. Regardless, we found that it was near impossible for me to cast Light Magic (understandable, as I didn't really worship Ashera), almost as hard to cast Thunder, slightly easier for Fire, and Wind as said before is the easiest. Not that I would practice further with Anima or Light - as getting to the point of them being useful could take years of training at my potential. Dark seemed to be the best option as of now, and only by a slim margin. Malcolm was also far more versed in the art if it hadn't been clear to me by his library containing far more texts on it.

Strangely enough, I also saw tomes in his collection. Some were tattered and old, such as the ones labeled 'Waste' and 'Ruin', while some almost... glowed with energy - like 'Luna' and the one that made me feel the most uncomfortable seeing 'Apocalypse'. I had no idea what Malcolm was doing with end game dark tomes sitting around unguarded in a cottage, but I was sure not to touch any of them regardless. Malcolm did notice my slight impatience and uncertainty, but he knew not what the reason for it was and so left it alone. Eventually, after about a total month of me being here, I was able to summon a Flux ball without taking ten minutes and using half my stamina. Though still smaller and far more unstable than what my teacher was capable of, I could at least hit targets ten feet away now with almost 'good' accuracy. My question of how to improve my magical stamina was met with 'practice', which was unfortunately true. The more you understand the spell and if you cast if often, you can do it with less effort and time the next instance you needed it. Malcolm, after seeing my progress on Flux, granted me the study book for Yotsmungand. Although in the games the two were basically the same spell, it seems that in reality, they had distinct differences. Yotsmungand, while still focused on negative energy, relied far more on extensive study and knowledge - leading to a far more stable and reliable spell at the expense of casting time.

One day, Malcolm had me sit down in his study as he pulled over several select books, bringing them over to his desk and gesturing for me to scooch closer. Complying, I looked over the selection and noticed most of them were non-specific Dark Magic theory books, more about the practice and how it works than casting a spell. "This." He began. "Is where we make you a personal spell."

My eyebrows raised and I opened my mouth before being cut off. "Don't get too excited, boy. Most of the time personal spells are just a slightly modified version of existing magic, and the rest of the time they simply backfire. ...However, if you were to become a master of the art and dedicate the time to it, true new spells could be made with a solid grasp of how this magic works. We'll simply be trying to make a variant on flux that has less power but is more accurate. Tell me what to do."

My brain went to work right away, formulating what I knew about Flux and how it operated. The best guess I had was to change the principle of casting Flux so that you harnessed less energy in the same package, meaning you could control it easier. I opened my mouth a minute later "Well..."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for another review, ZeXal! Two more people favorited since I last checked - so a standing ovation for both Jax Smallbine and Solar Stife, thanks for the favorites! An astounding FOUR more people followed, which technically more than quadrupled my followers, so it means a lot! Thanks to ggwpwf, HBEggs, Frost Thorn, and Jax once more.

Quick note if it wasn't already glaringly obvious... spoilers are ahead in the future. And while you don't really NEED to have played Path of Radiance or Radiant Dawn, I highly recommend it as terminology and characters would be unfamiliar to you.

 **UPDATE:** So a glaringly obvious mistake passed by both me and the editor. I erm, fixed it.

-o-

The acrid smell of smoke filled the air as I dumped another bucket of water on the flaming mess that was once a tome. "At the very least, we learned something from this," Malcolm said thoughtfully. "A bit strange, it seemed you had it down pat." I spared only a second to give him an incredulous stare before returning to my work. The tome we had tried whipping up together was perfect... in theory. In practice, it somehow overloaded the tome and backfired, setting both me and the tome on fire.

'Oh my.' Malcolm said, after having dumped me in a nearby stream. 'You alright?' I waved him off, applying a balm to my burned skin. 'I've had worse.'

I snorted at the memory, shaking my head and going to the aforementioned river to fill the bucket once more. Magical fire was, not to my surprise, hard to extinguish.

-o-

So in the blink of an eye, time ate up another week and a half, only serving to deepen the pit of nervousness I harbored within. Malcolm had been more than kind with all he has done and is doing, but my attention does need to stay on world affairs. I wasn't brought here to lounge and learn magic, after all, I had a job I was required to do and damn my soul if I wasn't going to do it. ...Or, at least try doing it.

During one our evening meals, an affair where both of us were usually silent and content in the atmosphere, I decided to ask Malcolm a question. "What do you think of Ashnard?" my voice rang out, curious but steady and resolute. In response, Malcolm shifted uncomfortably and set down his utensils, looking up at me.

"Ashnard is... our sovereign. A strong and cunning man, no doubt. And thus far he has played a pivotal role in bringing Daein back to the military forefront."

"Yes..." I began. "But that did not answer the question."

"Where do I begin?" The older man sighed. "Listen, boy - no, Albrecht..." His tone grew increasingly on edge, a fact that surprised me as he usually spoke of changes in the country with flat indifference. "I used to be a prominent figure in the Daein military. Far before Ashnard came about and for a short time during his reign."

My response was flat, though my mind was racing: "You were a rider." A statement, more than a question.

"Yes." He replied, smiling bitterly. "Though with Ashnard's disdain for magic as power and his policies, I've not been called such for a long long time."

"The reason I bring this up..." I pause, wondering if it would be best to reveal to Malcolm my origins. "Ashnard's pushing for war," I pushed on calmly, despite my hammering heart. "And when it breaks out I will... I need to leave you and find someone important to me. Not just me but, perhaps even the continent."

I felt his gaze boring into me, though he had yet to speak. A silence hung over us until he opened his mouth. "You seem... unusually sure of this. Why? When I met you, the story you told was of your ignorance."

"Suspicions well founded, sir. I will not and cannot reveal my whole tale to you now, but I swear it that what I did say was no lie. Though I was unaware of where I was, I know of the important figures at play."

Malcolm half-heartedly picked up his fork and thoughtfully prodded at his fish. "I don't doubt the bastard king would push for a war. Especially with a weak neighbor like Crimea. And I certainly failed to disclose information to you, even after months of staying here. I trust you, Albrecht. Don't make me regret doing that."

I bit my lip before responding "T-thank you Malcolm I-"

A sudden bang followed by a plethora of shouting voices drew our attention. Malcolm bolted up immediately, casting a spell that formed a purple barrier around the inside walls of the house. "Albrecht. This, I suppose, is a perfect example of me not disclosing all the information." The mage tautly said. "Daein is here to kill me, as I was labeled a traitor."

"W-what!? That's preposterous!" I exclaimed. "You could just fight them off, right?"

"I did before, and I'm sure since then Ashnard ordered most of my hunters to be Light Mages. As I hope you remember from your studies, Light 'trumps' Dark, so to say." Another bang on the door raised an irritated growl from Malcolm. "Though now is not the time for a review. Go to my library, gather any tomes you want within reasonable carrying limits, and hurry back. They shan't break my defenses this easily."

I wanted to protest but my body automatically moved, words shoved back down my throat as I followed his orders. Outside of the study door was a leather backpack I had used to transport tomes during training, and it was the only holder that could suffice at the moment. I slung it over my back and yanked the door open, eyes scanning the row of shelves. I skipped over Flux, having a pretty solid grasp on how to use the spell with no instruction, and instead focused on spells that were either powerful or ones I could near. I picked out four: Worm, Carreau, Luna, and Apocalypse. Two for knowledge, and two to make sure Daein doesn't get hold of powerful tomes. Casting them myself would be out of the realm of possibility, but better with me than with them. I lamented over the fact that my bag was brimming, meaning I was unable to bring Ruin or Waste. I doubt I would find copies of them anywhere else on the whole continent, but thinking of others first was the priority. I rushed back to the foyer, where Malcolm was waiting with a calm expression that contrasted the beads of sweating rolling down his face.

"Whatever they're hitting the barrier with." He noted, panting slightly. "It is certainly damn effective." He noticed my bag, and almost as an afterthought said "Good tome choices. Don't try to cast Apocolypse though. There are fates worse than death." He stepped aside to reveal a purple circle in the floor inscribed with runes. "Now please, step into the warp circle. When I use it, most of my power is near guaranteed to be drained. Damn Begnion not sharing its' powder..."

I stepped in, reaching out for him to find my arm blocked by a barrier of light. "Wait, aren't you coming?"

"No Albrecht." He replied a stoic expression etched into his features. "It takes time for the spell to charge and you're leaving."

"W-wait what!?" I near shouted. "You can't be serious! Save yourself then, I'm worthless."

A pained expression flickered across his face for a moment. "Don't say that again." He commanded. "You're not worthless, and don't let scum tell you otherwise. I'm old, Albrecht. I'll kick the bucket soon anyway. You have youth and potential."

The last barrier, the surprisingly sturdy wooden door, was flung across the room and a new type of panic gripped me as I saw a familiar sight. Crossing the threshold and coming to a stop, massive sword casually biting into the planks below, was the Black Knight.

Malcolm seemed not to care, and instead formed a Yotsmungand spell in his hand and glared at the massive figure. I wanted nothing more than to tell him that any spell he would cast would be fruitless- to escape with me - but I stayed silent. A cold fear stirred my heart as I watched the Black Knight take slow but deliberate steps towards Malcolm, seemingly having disregarded me. "So." Came the thundering voice, imposing yet somehow quiet and reserved at the same time. "You are Malcolm. Former rider and a current traitor to Daein and his majesty."

"Aye, that'd be me." Malcolm drawled. "And who are you supposed to be? Some whelp sent to intimidate me?"

"I am the Black Knight." He declared. "And I've come to claim your life." A black blur then rocketed forward, eating up the small distance in his massive armor as if it were nothing. The sword, which I assumed to be Alondite, swung in a vertical slice and would have bisected Malcolm on the spot. In response, the mage raised his hand and deflected the blow with magic still in hand, surprising his foe and gaining a second of momentum, which he used to launch several Yotsmungand bolts. The projectiles did connect, but a light washed over the points of impact, causing the spell to be nullified and only serving to send the Black Knight reeling. Malcolm's eyes widened a fraction when he saw the results of the assault and uttered a curse.

"Need some fancy blessings to defeat an old man?" He taunted. "Some warrior you are."

Instead of responding, the Black Knight sped off again, albeit slower this time. He stopped just short of Malcolm and hefted Alondite so it pointed at him. "Let us test the limits of your magic, then."

What I assumed to be Daein troops hooted and hollered at the sight, some exchanging coin pouches as if betting on a sport.

All it required was someone to activate it, but I had no wish to abandon Malcolm. As before, the choice wasn't mine as Malcolm took a glance over and silently cast another spell, activating the runes. A strangled cry escaped my throat, realizing he was logically correct. The moment of distraction cost him dearly, as Alondite was afterward thrust straight through his torso, and Malcolm fell limp like a ragdoll. Black Knight pushed the body off nonchalantly and turned to where I was. "You were his student?" He demanded. "Pathetic then. You'd be a waste of energy." He then dealt a bigger blow to me than death - walking away in dismissal as Malcolm lie dead near me.

"No." Came my tiny voice, even as the light surrounded me. "NO!" My throat was coarse and it pained me to speak, but I continued on regardless. "MALCOLM!"

The lasting thing I heard was the Black Knight chuckling before striding out, ignoring me as my mentor's dead body burned itself into my mind. And then... I was falling.


	5. Chapter 5

**IMPORTANT: I'm not sure if FF notifies chapter updates apart from new ones, but chapters 1, 3, and 4 saw some changes. None were too massive besides the chapter 1 introduction change and chapter 4's ending sequence changed a bit as well.**

A/N: Thanks for the two (one?) review(s) DestructoKat they mean quite a lot 3, however followers and favorites also matter quite a bit too, so that means I'd like to thank pichupal, emeraldsea2k6, Solar Stife, SolarGunman, josenava739, and itsLALM for the follows and Rustler of Jimmies, emerald, and pichu for favoriting. As I said, every follow, favorite, and review spurs me on! If you are enjoying (or even not liking something) the story, please leave a review, even if it is just a few words!

-o-

Vision disorientated when I reappeared, the instant sensation of wind blowing past my face met me as my organs slammed into the back of my body. Only a second passed before I painfully met the ground, precious oxygen rushing out of me like a cheap squeaky toy. My eyes clotted with tears of pain, I scrambled with my hands and found that they met a grassy surface. I shuddered as my throat gargled in an attempt to greedily suck in more air. A new sensation pricked my nerves as my right leg flared to life with a steady burn as I tried to move it. I was perhaps lucky to survive a random fall, but unlucky when I regained my sight to see that I was surrounded by soldiers clad in ebony armor pointing lances at me, the metal tips gleaming in the low light of the forest edge I realized we were in.

A soldier wearing much bulkier armor and carrying a thinner lance than the rest stomped forward, resting with the butt on the ground and visor down. He stroked an imaginary beard before pointing at me. "You there!" He shouted. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Pain and sorrow were replaced by mild confusion as I shakily stared back up at him. Judging by the armor and weaponry, the troops were Daein. I didn't know if that meant I was in Daein itself, or if the invasion had begun. I had to answer the knight before I was skewered regardless. "N-nothing your excellency." I pleaded, hoping they would fall for the 'innocent' ploy. "I am no one to note, sirrah. Just a simple traveler from… Begnion I am."

"Hmm." The man replied, staring off into the distance. "I see, I see. Not a Crimean then, eh? Good! As a… Begnionian you must know that Daein is to be respected!" …I didn't bother to correct his nationality label and instead simply nodded. "Yes of course. As you can see, I have nothing to do with you as an unarmed… and penniless traveler." I added the last part hastily.

"Mhm. Yes…" The armored man continued, zoning out while the other Daein troops kept a rock steady expression, weapons still dangerously close to me. "Well then! Would you like to volunteer to help us for some coin?"

"Erm, with what exactly?" I blurted out.

"Glad you asked! We, noble and loyal troops under his Majesty King Ashnard, are tasked with finding a fleeing Crimean noble. Succeed and you will never fear poverty's grip again, fail and… well, nothing bad will happen to you. US on the other hand, must NOT fail!" He then waved at the troops who withdrew the lances and allowed me to stand up. Armor boy passed me a lance and pointed to the woods. "We have reason to suspect that she is cooped up in there! The lance is a scare, as I'm sure a traveler knows not how to use it." I nodded and he nodded back enthusiastically. "Just holler if you find her! Don't approach alone – she's armed and probably dangerous."

I opened my mouth to say "Okay-" before stopping as he sped off into the woods. Nowhere near the Black Knights' speed granted, but- …the Black Knight. My grip on the lance tightened as more tears sprung to my eyes. I quickly wiped them off before slowly following the other Daein troops into the woods. If this was who I think it was then we were in trouble… but Elincia wasn't armed in when the Greil Mercenaries found her, was she? 'No, but this is life.' Logic called out in my head 'of course she would be equipped with something.'

I casually spun the weak bronze lance in my hand, almost fumbling it to the ground a few times in the process. Not that it mattered, as the Daein troops had a robotic concentration on the task at hand. None were really close to me yet, so I had time to just... be.

That was until I actually dropped the lance into a bush, causing a yelp to emit from it. ...Please tell me bushes can speak in this world. I ducked forward, pulling apart the foliage to see a trembling sword tip pointed at my nose. My eyes followed the blade down to see the one person who I had hoped wouldn't be here. Crouching in all her orange glory was Elincia, who had a shaky grip on what I assumed to be Amiti, as the blade was incredibly ornate yet looked deadly at once. Which didn't make sense as she didn't get it- oops, logic. Right. I pushed the blade away with little resistance and could see the princess almost hyperventilating, eyes red. Oh right, the royal guard was slaughtering protecting her and... I shuddered, thankful I didn't have to witness the sight. I put a finger to my lips and stepped into the bush, sliding my fallen lance aside and holding up my hands.

"H-hey... look. I'm not going to hurt you, alright?" Came my quiet and hopefully soothing voice. "I'm not with Daein."

She calmed down a bit and returned Amiti to an equally ornate scabbard resting cross her lap. her dress was slightly torn in some places and speckled with dirt in others, but she still looked better than someone who was just assaulted. Her hair was somehow still elegantly put together, green locks flowing like silk down her shoulders.

"They killed them." She whispered, hand over her heart. "Edmund and Charles and..." A sniffle came from her, though she was quick to wipe her eyes and pull her knees to her face to muffle further noise.

I sat down awkwardly, trying not to take up too much of the remaining space as I debated whether or not to try and comfort her. I was never very good with that, as I had no one to do it for me either. ...Except for maybe Malcolm. A sigh escaped my lips as my mind kept wandering back to my mentor when not occupied. He deserved better than dying for me, even if he wasn't even a part of the 'story'. I wonder what became of him in the original timeline when I wasn't here. Did her live and teleport away himself? Did the Black Knight still ruthlessly kill him?

Elincia and I sat together in silence, though a bit more comfortable than the initial confrontation. "We... need to get out of here." I started. "The Daein troops will find us eventually and-" A distant shout grabbed my interest as Elincia looked quizzically at me.

"What is it?" She questioned, voice still low.

"Shouting... either they think they found you or someone is on the road. Now's our chance!" I unceremoniously grabbed her by the arm and yanked her up, speeding up to a running pace as she begrudgingly allowed it.

"My lord..." she began. "Are you quite sure about this?"

"Rather sure," I replied, glancing around to make sure we weren't in danger. "And I'm almost positive that up ahead opposing the Daein troops is your ticket out."

"What do you mean?" She questioned, almost stumbling over a stick.

"The knights were taking you somewhere, milady. I have in good confidence that the group up ahead is the Greil Mercenaries, respectable warriors who are famed for both skill and kindness."

"...I suppose they are all I have left anyway." She noted sadly.

I pulled us over behind a small gathering of trees of to the side, and I could see Daein engaged with the Mercenaries... or so I hoped. I couldn't spot blue or red hair, which was more concerning for blue as Ike was a frontline fighter. There was a mounted knight, but making out much detail from this distance was hard. Unfortunately, I was distracted by the combat and by the time Elincia's warning shout of "My lord!" reached my ears, I received a kick to the side, sliding me a few feet and knocking me prone. One of the Daein troops stared at me, a snarl affixed on his face as he ignored me and then turned to the princess who had Amiti drawn again, with a clear pose that revealed she had no idea what she was doing.

The image of Malcolm being impaled flashed across my mind as anger and panic in mix coursed through me. I stood up robotically, gathering a ball of darkness in my hand. It was clearly unstable, judging by the pattern of the energy and irregular thrumming noise it was making, but I had no time to try again. 'They aren't under orders to kill her!' logic screamed out, being snuffed by emotion. I will hit the soldier. I WILL hit the soldier. ...And, I will kill him too.

"FLUX!" I shouted, the ball shooting off as the troop began to turn around. Far too late, as the dark energy made contact with his head and he immediately started screaming in agony, a horrible hissing noise accompanied by the smell of acrid smoke and burning flesh. The soldier dropped his lance and fell to the ground, hands clawing at his face as I started in a mute horror for a moment before grabbing his lance and delivering a quick thrust to his throat, silencing him and ending the pain. I let go of the shaft, letting the blood coated weapon sink to the ground, latched onto the body by a thread as I realized what I'd just done. Elincia, though shocked, swallowed tightly and walked over, giving me a tense pat on the shoulder.

"F-first time?" She asked.

"...Yeah." was all I said, staring mutely at the mutilated body.

"I never got your name." She coaxed, looking at me curiously.

"Albrecht. It's a name... er - my name." I replied, rubbing my neck and turning away from the sight. "And you are...?" I asked, already knowing full well her answer.

"Elincia." She stated formally, curtsying. "I thank you deeply for your assistance, my lord Albrecht."

"Erm, it is quite alright your- er, Elincia" I stated, tone slightly nervous. I shouldn't know her identity yet. "But I am no lord. Just a commoner."

"Is that so?" She said, sounding surprised. "By your etiquette and use of magic, I expected otherwise."

"Yeah well-" I was cut off by the sound of several sets of approaching footsteps and turned around to see the Greil Mercenaries bearing down on us. Well, most of them at the moment anyway.

I swallowed nervously as Ike approached me. He looked... exactly like I expected him to. Tall, well built but not bulging, and an air of stoic confidence that awed most around him. Mostly those who aren't IN the mercenaries, but I digress. His sword rested on his shoulder and his posture was relaxed as he looked us over, the rest of the group catching up to him. "Who are you two?" He asked bluntly.

"I am Albrecht. Simply a traveler. I will let the lady speak for herself." I said, confidently as could. Which obviously wasn't very, evidenced by Shinon and Soren both having their eyebrows raise simultaneously. Great, both of the skeptical pragmatists are onto me already.

Luckily, Elincia had begun to speak and captured the attention of the rest of the people present. "I am... Elincia. I was told you were mercenaries?"

"That's right," Ike stated. "We're from the Greil Mercenaries, led by my father."

"Care to explain what you were doing here?" Soren interjected, making me bite my inner cheek. "This was both the site of a Crimean slaughter and, more recently, a Daein search party. And, with one of you being a mage," he stopped to cast an unreadable look at me. "...And the other being dressed in non-combat attire, along with the speech patterns of both, am I correct in assuming you were who Daein is looking for?" Damn you, Soren. I have a love-hate relationship with your intelligence sometimes.

"Just me." Elincia volunteered. "Albrecht here simply stumbled across me and offered assistance."

"Not to be rude." Titania injected, riding up Ike's right. "But we've to report this to Commander Greil. Perhaps we could consider continuing this conversation back at the fort?"

Ike nodded and sheathed his sword on his back. "I'd ask you two to tag along if you wish, especially since you seemed interested in hiring us in the first place."

"Hope you pay well..." Shinon mumbled, receiving a pained expression from Titania before she turned to us.

"Would either of you care to ride?" The correct answer was blatantly obvious, so not a minute later Elincia was saddled in behind Titania, dwarfed in comparison to the muscled woman and her battlehorse.

I tagged along on the outer right, and after having checked my bag that still contained the tomes, continued on without issue - though I could almost feel Soren staring straight into the back of my head as we marched.

This is going to be weird to try to explain to all of them.


End file.
